The Legion of Mary (Latin: Legio Mariae) is an international association of the faithful of Catholic Church who serve the Church on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, as a Roman Catholic Marian Movement by layman Frank Duff. Today between active and auxiliary (praying) members there are over 3 million members worldwide making it the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church. Membership is highest in South Korea, Philippines, Brazil, Argentina and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These countries have between 250,000 and 500,000 members each.

To be in the Legion of Mary, one must be a practicing Catholic. Active members serve God under the banner of Mary by practicing the Spiritual Works of Mercy. The main apostolate of the Legion consists in activities directed towards all men and women, young and old, rich and poor as well as people from the margins of society (homeless, prostitutes, prisoners etc.) and towards non-Catholics. The members of the Legion are primarily engaged in the performance of the Spiritual Works of Mercy rather than works of material aid. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion_of_Mary

OTTAWA, AUG. 27, 2001 (Zenit.org).- The Army of Mary, a movement founded in Quebec in 1971 by Marie-Paule GuigPre, "is not a Catholic association," the Canadian bishops said in a recent note approved by the Holy See.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) issued the doctrinal note Aug. 15 and said there had been much confusion surrounding this group since 1987, when the archbishop of Quebec formally revoked the decree by which his predecessor had established the Army of Mary as a pious association.

"The Army of Mary's ongoing activities and teachings pose dangers for the Catholic Church in Canada and to the faith of its members," the note says. "In view of this, and of the continuing threat to the integrity and unity of the Catholic faith, the Bishops of Canada declare, and hereby inform all the Catholic faithful, that the Army of Mary, regardless of its claims to the contrary, is not a Catholic association."

The doctrinal note, which is a clarification of dogmatic teaching, states that some of the teachings the Army of Mary propagates about redemption, the Virgin Mary and "reincarnation" are profoundly at variance with Church teaching. The full text of the doctrinal note can be found on the CCCB Web site at http://www.cccb.ca. Marie-Paule Guigère, founder of the Army of Mary, who was born in 1921, said she received the first revelations on her movement in 1954. In 1975, the group was approved in Canada by Cardinal Maurice Roy. However, beginning in 1978, Guigère introduced herself as the mystical incarnation of Mary. (Reprinted with permission from Zenit ZE01082707)

An army of youthFlying the standards of truth,We're fighting for Christ, the Lord.Heads lifted high,Catholic Action our cry,And the Cross our only sword.On earth's battlefieldNever a vantage we'll yield.As dauntlessly on we swingComrades true, dare and do'Neath the Queen's white and blue,For our flag, for our faith,For Christ the King.

Christ lifts His hands,The King commands; challenge, 'Come and follow me.'From ev'ry side,With eager stride,We form in the lines of victory.

Let foemen lurk,And laggards shirk,We throw our fortunes to the LordMary's Son,Till the world is won,We have pledged you our loyal word.'An army of youth'

Copyright: Tom Richstatter, Franciscan Province of St. John the Baptist, Cincinnati Ohio, Order of Friars Minor. All Rights Reserved. This page was created by Fr. Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M. Every effort has been, and is being made, to acknowledge sources when the ideas are not my own. Any failure to comply with the United States Copyright Act (Title 17, United States Code) will be corrected immediately should I become aware of it. This site was updated on 09/11/14 . Your comments on this site are welcome at